The Western Urban & Community Forestry Committee (WUCF) was established as a forum to share information, collaborate on program delivery, and advance urban & community forestry (U&CF) in the West.
The WUCF Committee provides a channel for ongoing communication and collaboration between western states, the USDA Forest Service, and forestry partners. The WUCF Committee creates opportunities to leverage and share resources, expand the transfer of technology, and cooperate on shared goals and initiatives, including multi-state competitive grant applications. The WUCF Committee gathers for an annual meeting and connects quarterly via conference calls to coordinate their ongoing collaboration.
The WUCF Committee addresses emerging and ongoing U&CF issues at both the state and national level. It is a source of information and support for both the Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) and the National Association of State Foresters.
Membership of the WUCF Committee includes U&CF coordinators from 17 western states and six U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands, as well as a liaison from CWSF and representation from the USDA Forest Service.
The WUCF Committee is led by a leadership team and is rotated on an annual basis. The 2024 leadership team includes:
- Chair: Walter Passmore (CA)
- Vice Chair: Alyssa O'Brien (NM)
- Secretary: Christina Hoyt (NE)
- Past Chair: Vacant
- State Forester Advisor: Tom Claeys (ND)
- USDA Forest Service Liaison: Stephen Baker (USFS R6/R10)
- WFLC Staff Liaison: Neil Simpson
If you wish to contact a member of the WUCF Committee, please contact Neil Simpson.
Work Plan
Each year, the WUCF leadership team produces a report for the WFLC Fall Meeting. This report highlights key accomplishments from the past year and a look at work for the year ahead. Recent reports are featured below:
Blog Posts
- September 2023 - Western UCF Committee Focuses on Workforce Development
- April 2023 - Urban and Community Forestry Meeting in Nevada
- October 2022 - Engaging Volunteers in the Wonders of Arizona’s Magnificent Trees
- August 2022 - Small efforts can have big impacts on Idaho’s urban forests
- June 2022 - Weathering the Storm in Bayard, NE
Publications
The latest WUCF publication features U&CF stories from 11 western states centered around the theme of resilience. The featured stories were provided by WUCF Committee members.
Past publications are featured below:
- Building Equity Through Community Forestry Connections
- Community Trees: A Wealth of Health
- Forestry in All Shapes & Sizes
- Healthy Trees, Healthy Communities
- Beyond the Zone
- Green Infrastructure in the West
Individual stories from each publication are categorized below under each state/island name: